Apparatus for snow disposal



Dec. 14, 1954 F. J. TOWNSEND 2,696,314

APPARATUS FOR snow DISPOSAL Filed June 3, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 /nvenf0r Frank J Townsend Dec. 14, 1954 F. J. TOWNSEND APPARATUS FOR SNOW DISPOSAL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 3. 1949 By his attorneys Dec. 14, 1954 F. J. TOWNSEND 2,596,314

APPARATUS FOR SNOW DISPOSAL Filed June 5, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 4 /m/enr'0r FrankJEn/nsnd By his attorneys United States Patent APPARATUS FOR SNOW DISPOSAL Frank J. Townsend, Pelharn, N. Y.

Application June 3, 1949, Serial No. 96,968

8 Claims. (Cl. 126343.5)

My invention relates to an apparatus for the disposal of snow, and in particular to an apparatus for snow disposal wherein the snow is reduced to fluid form.

The disposal of fallen snow is a serious problem in many cities and towns. Even a relatively light fall can seriously hamper trafiic, cause congestion with loss of time and money, and provoke accidents with attendant loss of life and limb. With present day emphasis on motor transport, it is essential that streets be cleared as rapidly as possible and the sums set aside for such clearance represent a substantial portion of the annual budget in many municipalities.

The general method of removing snow has been to load it into trucks either by hand or machine, cart it away and dump it at some remote spot. It will be appreciated that this system involves the continuous employment of large numbers of trucks and drivers and {hi3 expenditure of considerable sums for gasoline and a or.

To avoid the trucking expense, various schemes and devices have been suggested wherein snow is reduced to a liquid and disposed of in that form. None of these, however, have proved practicable. Either the machines involved have been too complex in construction or operation, their operation has proved too expensive, or their capacity too small.

The present invention provides a simple and sturdy apparatus for reducing snow to fluid slush by the addition of hot water plus a fluid slush having a temperature only slightly above freezing. The invention accomplishes the desired results in an easy, inexpensive manner.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of my novel snow removal apparatus mounted in a truck, the side walls of the truck being partially cut away;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation partially cut away showing the details of the liquefying unit, as seen in reversed position with respect to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the directions of flow in my novel apparatus;

Fig. 4'is a vertical sectional view taken on the line aa of Fig. 2, showing the details of a section of the disintegrating rotor of the apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line bb of Fig. 2 showing details of the grid.

The underlying principle in my novel method of snow disposal is to fluidize the snow just to the extent where it may be pumped and will flow easily into a sewer or similar place of disposal. To so liquefy the snow I add to it a quantity of liquid slush at a temperature only a little above freezing and a limited quantity of hot water. This reduces the volume of the material. The mixture is then ground through a grid where hard lumps of ice are reduced and stones and other foreign matter are sepa rated. It is then mechanically agitated to bring the liquefaction to the stage of a fluid slush. According to the preferred embodiment of my invention, the slush so produced is divided into three portions. One portion is discharged into a sewer, a second returned and added to more fresh snow and a third heated to form more hot water to be added in the first step of the process. Thus my process is continuous, relying only upon an adequate fuel supply.

Referring to Fig. 1, the apparatus is shown mounted in a truck 1 to which snow 2 is fed from a mechanical loader 3. As there shown, the apparatus comprises a liquefying unit indicated generally as 4, boilers 5 for supplying hot water, pumps 6 and 30, a generator 7 for supplying power needed to drive the pumps and other mechanisms, and hoses 8 mounted on a reel 9, for disposing of the liquefied snow.

As shown in Fig. 2, the liquefying unit 4 has a hopper 10 and a fluidizing chamber 11, separated by a grid 12. Fluid slush and hot Water are supplied to the hopper through ports 13 and 14, respectively.

Located at the bottom of the hopper 10 and extending to the grid 12 is a spiral conveyor 15 which serves to carry the mixture of snow, water and slush to the grid and to grind any large chunks of ice or compacted snow against the grid. The conveyor 15, and the section 16 of the hopper 10 which encloses it, flare outwardly toward the grid. This prevents the mixture of snow, water and slush from packing and jamming the conveyor, and facilitates the precipitation of foreign matter such as stones which may be taken up with the snow.

The fluidizing chamber 11 contains a disintegrating rotor 17 for completing the liquefaction. This rotor is composed of fan sections 18 (Figs. 2 and 4) and turbine sections 19. The disintegrating rotor is preferably mounted on the same shaft with the spiral conveyor 15 and rotates with it under power from motor 20 (Fig. 3).

Port 21 is provided in the bottom of the fluidizing chamber and connected to the boilers 5 for furnishing them with newly made slush for conversion to hot water. A filter screen 22 is fitted over port 21 to prevent flow of foreign matter to the boilers. Through another port 23, connecting with the port 13 leading to the hopper, liquid slush is furnished to the hopper. A discharge port 24 is provided above the center line of the fluidizing chamber through which the slush flows to a sewer 25 (Fig. l) or similar place of disposal. By locating the exhaust port above the connections to the boiler and the hopper, an adequate supply of hot water and fresh slush to the receiving chamber is assured before any of the slush is carried away.

A drainage vent 26 is located in the bottom of the fluidizing chamber so that the chamber may be emptied when desired.

It often happens that stones, sticks and the like are picked up with the snow and dumped into the liquefying unit. The grid 12 filters out such material and prevents it from damaging the rotor 17. To prevent any tendency for the slush to freeze up at that point, a stream of hot water may be directed on it through a nozzle 27 located just above the grid. Debris thus eliminated falls into a stone chamber 28 from which it can easily be dumped.

Similarly, a line 29 (Fig. 3) may be provided for carrying hot water to slush pump 30, and thus relieve any tendency of that mechanism to freeze up.

To maintain control over the temperature in various parts of the apparatus, thermometers 31 (Fig. 3) may be installed at appropriate points.

The operation of my device is as follows. Snow having been placed into the hopper 10 is subjected to streams of hot water at say from about to about F, and slush, preferably at a temperature of about 40 F. The snow, vastly reduced in volume by the action of the hot water and slush, is carried from the mixing zone through the connecting zone by the spiral conveyor 15 to grid 12. It is ground against the grid, meat chopper fashion, by the conveyor and any hard chunks of ice which may have resisted the action of the hot Water and liquid. slush are reduced to small crystals.

Entering the fluidizing zone through the grid, the mixture is subjected to the action of the disintegrating rotor where the liquefaction of the snow is carried to the desired stage. The combined churning actions of the fan and turbine sections of the rotor further reduce the small ice crystals that get through the grid. The centrifugal act-ion of the fan section is especially valuable in carrying the more liquid elements of the mixture to every part of the fluidizing chamber thus ensuring a homogeneous product.

As may best be seen from Fig. 3, one portion of the fluid slush passes from the fluidizing chamber through the port 21 into the boilers 5. A second portion is recycled through the port 23 back to the mixing zone through the port 13. When the level of the slush in the fluidizing chamber reaches the discharge port 24, the

slush passes off and runs" through a conduit 32 (Fig. 1) into hose 8 which may carry it directly to the sewer 25 or spray it along the road bed and allow it to run into the gutters as at 33. The latter procedure may be followed only when theair temperature isabove 32 F. t From the above description it will beseen that the net, result of my .process is the production of large amounts of fluid slush at a temperature just above freezing. This is' extremelyeconomical because .very little heat is thrown away. while at the same, time the product is suificiently fluid to be-pumped, thus eliminating the need for cartage. It will also be noted that the unit manufactures the principal reagents Which it uses', i. e. slush and hot water, and thus depends on nothing except a supply of fuel for its boilers and generator.

When theusual system of snow removal, involving a fleet of trucks, some loading and unloading, some in transit and others merely waiting to be used, is compared with my novel method as described, the economies of the novel system are strikingly apparent.

Various modifications may be made in the illustrated apparatus without departingfrom the spirit of the invention. Thus the details of design of the rotor or conve'yors may be varied to suit various needs and conditions.

Similarly it is not necessary that the apparatus be mounted in a truck. conceivably constructed as a fixed installation.

In the illustrated embodiment six boilers are shown, but it will be appreciated that any number may be used. Oil has been found to be a satisfactory fuel for firing the boilers but gas, gasoline, coal or even wood might be employed.

While the piping arrangement shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings has been found satisfactory, it will be appreciated that this may be changed to fit the situation, with pumps eliminated or added as needed. In particular, a pump may advantageously be inserted in the discharge conduit 32 to speed up the flow and reduce any tendency of that line to freeze up. As a further precaution against freezing up, an emergency hot water line similar to the line 29 may be provided in connection with this pump, and indeed at any place in the piping system where a marked tendency to freeze up is noted, for example in the pump located between the fluidizing chamber and the boilers.

What I claim is:

1. A snow disposal apparatus comprising a hopper adapted to receive snow and a fluidizing chamber adjacent said hopper, means for supplying hot water and fluid slush to the hopper, a grid separating the fluidizing chamber from the hopper, a spiral conveyor at the bottom of the hopper and extending to the grid to carry material from the hopper to said grid and to grind it through the grid into the fluidizing chamber, a disintegrating rotor within the fluidizing chamber and discharge means adapted to carry fluidized slush away from the fluidizing chamber. v

2. A snow disposal apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the conveyor and the interior of the portion of the hopper enclosing the conveyor are flared outwardly toward the grid. I

3. A snow disposal apparatus as' claimed in claim 1 wherein the bottom of the hopper is provided with a stone chamber adapted to receive stones, in combination with a hot water nozzle at the hopper adapted to direct hot water onto the hopper side of the grid to facilitate freeing the stones.

It might be built into a trailer or 4. A snow disposal apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the hopper is provided with a nozzle connected through the wall of the hopper near the grid and adapted to direct hot water onto the grid, and means connecting the nozzle to the hot water supply means.

5. A snow disposal apparatus having a boiler, a fluidizing chamber, a hopper, means for conveying hot water from the boiler to the hopper, means for conveying fluidized slush from. the fluidizing chamber to the hopper,

a grid separating the fluidizing chamber from the hopper, a spiral conveyor at the bottom of the hopper and extending to the grid to move material from the hopper to the grid and to grind it through the grid into the fluidizing chamber, a disintegrating rotor in the fluidizing chamber, outlet means connected to the wall of the fluidizing chamber in registry with an opening in that wall and connected to the means conveying slush to the hopper, a second outlet means connected to the Wallof the fluidizing chamber in. registry withfan opening in that wall, means attached to the second outlet means for conveying fluidized slush to the boiler and discharge means for removing fluidized slush from the fluidizing chamber.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said means for conveying fluidized slush from the fluidizing chamber to the boiler and said means for conveying fluidized slush from the fluidizing chamber to the hopper are connected to the fluidizing chamber at a lower level than said discharge means whereby a supply of slush for the boiler and the hopper isassu'red.

7. Snow disposal apparatus as claimed in claim 6 and including a nozzle adjacentthe hopper side of the grid, means connecting the nozzle to the boiler, whereby hot water may be sprayed upon the grid, and a stone chamber in the bottom of the hopper adjacent the grid and adapted to receive debris such as stones or sticks in the hopper and Washed from the grid by the nozzle.

8. A snow disposal apparatus comprising a hopper adapted to receive snow, means for supplying hot water and fluid slush to the hopper, means forming a chamber adjacent said hopper, a grid separating the hopper and the' char'ribe'r, means for forcing the hot water, fluid slush andsnow from the hopper through the grid into the chamber, mechanical churning means within the chamber for reducing the mixture forced through the grid to a'fluid slush and discharge means adapted to carry the fluid slush away from the chamber.

References Cited n the file or this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number I Name Date 557,163 Springfels Mar. 31, 1896 642,314 Finnigan Jan. 30, 1900 734,195 Riedel July 21, 1903 863,855 Lang Aug. 20, 1907 863,856 Lang; Aug. 20, 1907 950,895 Cuntz Mar. 1, 1910 980,564 Riordan Jan. 3, 1911 995,446 Evans June 20, 1911 1,564,901 Sc'roggins Dec. 8, 1925 1,602,476 Ballard Oct. 12, 1926 1,702,029 Coic' Feb. 12, 1929 1,821,292 Chase Sept. 1, 1931 1,841,245 Hagen Ian. 12, 1932 2,104,363 Devi-in Ian. 4, 1938 2,192,320 McCarthy Mar. 5, 1940 

